Catherine Middleton was once above all a style icon, whose look inspired people around the world, and “woman of”. But the princess has long since gained stature and is no longer automatically mentioned in the same breath as her husband Prince William.
The Princess of Wales is the “secret weapon” of the royal family, wrote royals expert Emily Andrews some time ago in the newspaper “The Sun”. With the Queen, the monarchy’s anchor of stability has died. “But Kate’s calm composure signals that the family’s future is in the best of hands,” Andrews said at the time.
But Kate’s central role is no longer all that secret. On Christmas Eve 2021, ITV broadcaster showed a Christmas concert organized by King Charles’ daughter-in-law to remember the “unsung heroes” of the pandemic. Kate took to the keyboard herself: wearing a red dress, she played the piano in public for the first time, accompanying pop star Tom Walker.
Princess Kate is considered the royal family’s peace of mind
Three children – in addition to Prince George, number two in line to the British throne, these are Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – and a lot of work for charities with numerous online video calls during the pandemic ensure a busy schedule. There are also public appearances where Kate can’t afford any slip-ups. She handles all of this with flying colors, as observers attest. The “nation’s Golden Girl” looked like a Hollywood star when she appeared at the cinema premiere of the new James Bond film, wrote Andrews.
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Kate is also considered the family’s haven of calm. Unforgettable was how, after Philip’s funeral, she brought her husband William into conversation with Prince Harry, thus enabling a truce between the quarreling brothers. Queen Elizabeth II has always appreciated Kate’s hard work and quiet restraint. Compared to Harry’s wife, Duchess Meghan, who is blamed in the British tabloids for the grandson’s rift with the palace, Kate always does significantly better. After the Queen’s death, Kate’s role becomes even more important.
“People love William and Kate,” said former royals spokeswoman Colleen Harris. “Because they see them as normal people with fairy dust.” The time has long been forgotten when Catherine Middleton was mocked by the public as “Waity Katie” – as “Waiting Katie” because the couple, who met while studying at the Scottish University of St. Andrews, had already been in a relationship for years without William proposed to her.
Kate is reminiscent of “Queen Mum”
Commentators are now comparing the celebrant with William’s great-grandmother Elizabeth. Kate is said to have strong similarities to the nationally popular “Queen Mum”, who died in 2002 at the age of 101. She had the same temperament, her former private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, who also worked for Queen Mum, told The Times newspaper. Kate is polite to everyone, takes time to talk and is tough. “She has that queen mother feeling about her, so when something needs to be done, she’s there,” Lowther-Pinkerton said.